Sunshine covered a grassy clearing, grass dancing in the breeze which was the only relief from the heat. A black horse appeared, hooves moving swiftly over the grass. The horse stopped, lifting her head and shaking the sweat from her mane. A sigh came from the small mare's mouth.

            "Night Hooves? Why didn't you meet Lightning Cloud today? You knew it was very important!" A stern voice broke Night Hooves' place of peace.

            "I'm sorry, Defiant Wind," she whinnied. She wasn't sorry; at all, in fact. She had no interest in meeting the leader of the Herd of Stolen Winds. She had no purpose in meeting the stallion. From what she understood, he was an arrogant dung-brain who annually made his trainees leap across the gorge, and if they didn't make it, they died.

            Reluctantly, Night Hooves turned towards the grey stallion who was eying her sternly. You know, for your name, you tend to follow the rules too much. As much as Night Hooves wanted to say the words, she wouldn't dare. Not because he was a respected fighter of the herd, but rather because she didn't dare say what she thought. Speaking her opinion just wasn't her forte.

            Defiant Wind shook his mane and cantered off. Night Hooves looked back at the grass swaying, shadowed by the form of the ancient Storm Mountains. The mountains had named the herd she was born into. Not even the Grey-mane of the herd, Fierce Gallop, knew how long the mountains had been there; she didn't know how long the herd had lived there either. Night Hooves cantered off at a steady pace. What good would it do if Fierce Gallop knew? It was an accomplishment if that old horse could remember where she ate breakfast.

            The wind picked up as Night Hooves approached her herd. She flattened her ears against her skull as she saw a golden stallion expectantly waiting. Just my luck, she spitefully told herself. Her father was not known for his kind nature. What was it that he always said? When you let go of soft feelings of sympathy and generosity, that is where true power comes. You cannot give to the enemy. Something like that. It might not be what he said, Night Hooves didn't know. Maybe she interpreted it that way. She didn't really care, either.

            The jet black mare tried to walk into the area where her herd made their home, avoiding eye contact with the golden stallion that was her father. "Not so fast, young filly," his sharp neigh came. Night Hooves froze, lifting her head and turning back to her father. "I told you to meet me today! Is there something difficult about that?"

            Night Hooves swallowed hard. She would rather face five hungry Cougars than this. Is that true? Night Hooves questioned herself, but again, she wasn't sure. She'd never had to face a cougar. She had to plan her moves carefully. "No, father," the young mare answered, ignoring the fact that the question from her father was most likely rhetorical.

            "You made me look like a fool," Lightning Cloud snapped. "I already look fool enough without a queen."

            Unimaginable- and unexplainable- rage came upon Night Hooves. She could hear the blood pounding in her ear as she struggled not to attack her father. "Well, maybe if you'd been there for mom, you'd have a queen!" Head burning hot with rage, Night Hooves shoved herself past her father and into the windy fields of the valley. She galloped at full speed, wind pulling at her long mane. Memories threatened to overwhelm her. Stop! Her mind screamed at her. Her lungs felt shrunken and suffocated as her heart pounded insatiably. You need rest! Yet somehow, she couldn't stop. To stop seemed to let him win. Was he against her? Probably. It seemed like he was.

Dizziness overcame her, replacing the rage. The grass swayed, but certainly not in a natural way. Black dots danced in her vision. She was trembling and her heartbeat echoed loudly in her ears. She needed to stop, but, somehow, she couldn't. Her long legs buckled underneath her as Night Hooves collapsed to the ground.

Sorry for the long wait and the short chapter. The next chapter will be really good! (Hopefully) Please tell me what you think! Your feedback is wonderful, and no matter what kind it is, it makes my day!